Aldi ‘angry’ after some ready meals found to contain 100% horse meat

Aldi is ‘angry’ after some of its products were found to contain horse meat (Picture: Getty)

Aldi says it feels ‘angry and let down’ by its supplier after tests revealed some of its frozen ready meal ranges contained up to 100% horse meat.

The meals had been withdrawn earlier this week as a precautionary measure, but the supermarket chain has now confirmed that tests on Today’s Special frozen beef lasagne and frozen spaghetti bolognese found the meals contained between 30% and 100% horse meat.

An Aldi spokesman said: ‘Tests have been completed that show horse meat in the withdrawn products. In samples selected at random, tests demonstrated that the withdrawn products contained between 30% and 100% horse meat.

‘This is completely unacceptable and like other affected companies, we feel angry and let down by our supplier.

‘If the label says beef, our customers expect it to be beef. Suppliers are absolutely clear that they are required to meet our stringent specifications and that we do not tolerate any failure to do so.’

Owen Paterson said it was ‘totally unacceptable’ that beef products had been found to contain such high levels of horse meat (Picture: Getty)

The products came from French supplier Comigel, which also produced the contaminated Findus beef lasagnes.

Aldi also stated it would no longer be stocking any products from Comigel.

‘We have acted quickly to withdraw the affected products from sale, conduct additional testing and review the performance of our suppliers. The products from Comigel will not be sold in our stores again and we will no longer take any product from Comigel,’ Aldi said.

While Aldi confirmed the meals would be tested for veterinary drug phenylbutazone, also known as ‘bute’, the chain said it was ‘confident’ the meals were safe.

Customers who bought the affected products can receive a full refund.

‘We already have rigorous testing systems in place, but clearly we need to do more to ensure that our suppliers are complying with our high standards,’ the spokesman added.

‘Aldi will not tolerate any supplier who fails to comply with our requirements and we will support any appropriate legal action taken against any supplier that knowingly does wrong.’

Meanwhile environment secretary Owen Paterson said it was ‘totally unacceptable’ that processed beef products had been found to contain horse meat.

‘To reassure the public, we are conducting an unprecedented analysis of processed beef products to see how far this either incompetence or negligence, or the criminal conspiracy extends, and we hope to have results by the end of next week,’ he told Sky News.

‘Our eyes are very much open to both possibilities, and the FSA have already started working with the Metropolitan Police, who are also working with other police forces across Europe.

‘If there is an international element to this, and there is a conspiracy across Europe, we need to work very closely with all our partners… I am determined that we will work with every possible agency and get to the bottom of this.’